The creation of digital audio files is known in the art. For example, a computer or other recording device can create or capture audio content and store the content in a digital file. The audio file may then later be edited, played back, saved, or transferred to another playback medium, among other tasks.
Audio files may be edited for content, length, timing, or effects; customized for a particular application; mixed, combined, or merged with other audio and/or visual content; or otherwise manipulated. Editing can therefore be a relatively simple or a more complex task, depending on the purpose for which it is performed.
A variety of audio composition and editing tools and techniques are currently known, many of which also include or accompany video editing tools and techniques. U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,318, for example, discloses a wave generating method and apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,111 teaches a sound model generator and synthesizer with graphical programming engine. U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,837 teaches a remix apparatus and method, slice apparatus and method, and storage medium, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,888,999 teaches a method of remixing digital information. U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,359 discloses a method and apparatus for using visual images to mix sound. U.S. Pat. No. 6,757,573 teaches a method and system for authoring a soundscape for a media application. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0220814 teaches methods and systems for mixing audio signals, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0264715 teaches a method and apparatus for playback of audio files. The above-identified patents and published applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Many of these and other audio editing tools, however, are complex and considerably expensive, limiting their appropriateness or attractiveness for use by a casual or amateur audio editor. Reducing complexity, on the other hand, can result in a less robust editing tool that does not include the features necessary for high-end and professional users. In either case, audio editing tools frequently operate within a program-specific interface, which can take significant time to learn, navigate, and master at a level sufficient to make audio editing tasks efficient and user-friendly. Further, the approaches taken and techniques implemented by existing audio tools frequently do not provide a user with specific and fine control over isolated portions of audio content while maintaining global audio content editing access.
There is, therefore, a need for an audio file editing tool, system, and method of using the same that substantially address the aforementioned shortcomings.